Macaroni and Cheese with Pumpkin Sous Vide Topped with Parmesan and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
| “… If I had a million dollars, we wouldn't have to eat
Kraft Dinner, but we would eat Kraft Dinner … Of course we would, we'd just eat
more, and buy really expensive ketchups with it … That's right, all the
fanciest Dijon ketchups …” - Bare Naked Ladies |
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Arguably one of - if not the favorite comfort food in America is, macaroni and cheese. Simple to see why, creamy chewy pasta literally drowning in a rich velvety cheese sauce either fresh from the pot or finished with a crispy top of buttered bread crumbs. What can possibly be more soothing after a rough day then a steaming bowl of cheesy noodle goodness? |
| Much has been said culinarily about the founding father, co-author of the Declaration of Independence, third president of the United States, Mr. Thomas Jefferson. For our purposes here the story goes that while visiting France, TJ became enamored with what has become the macaroni and cheese dish as we know it today. It is also said that he brought it back to America and had many a PastaPartay at Monticello, consequently helping to popularize it by serving it to dinner guests during his presidency. Even though Thomas Jefferson was a well-known foodie in his day he wasn’t the cook and according to published reports a slave named, Isaac who worked in the house at Monticello, was stated as saying, “…the only time Jefferson ever came into the kitchen was to wind the clock.” |
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| So macaroni and cheese owes its American life to our
beloved founding father? Well, there is also quite a bit of information pointing
to vermicelli broiled with butter and Parmesan cheese as the oldest way of
making cheese with pasta ever recorded in America that predates TJ’s partay
version. Yet, as we know it really
doesn’t matter mac and cheese is delicious regardless of its parentage. Today’s recipe utilizes a basic mac and cheese loaded with cheddar and fontina cheeses but to add a bit of seasonal cheer I took the opportunity to fold in a sous vide prepared puree of pumpkin and rather than use bread crumbs for the crunchy topping I had some of those pumpkin seeds lying around … Happy Halloween VacMasters! |
Ingredients: • 16 ounces elbow macaroni • 3 tablespoons unsalted "sweet” butter • 3 tablespoons flour, all purpose • 3 cups milk, whole • 1 cup Pumpkin Puree sous vide • 2 teaspoons ground dried mustard • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • 1 tablespoon roasted garlic powder • 8 ounces’ white cheddar cheese, mild, grated • 8 ounces’ fontina cheese, grated • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated |
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Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Butter a 13 X 9-inch baking dish. 3. In a large pot cook macaroni al dente according to the package directions. 4. Using a sieve drain the macaroni and rinse in cold water, reserve. 5. In the same pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. 6. When the butter begins to foam whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes to lightly toast the flour. 7. Slowly add milk and whisk thoroughly until mixture is smooth. 8. Stir in the Pumpkin Puree SV and continue to whisk until mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. |
| 9. Remove pot from heat and stir in the mustard, paprika and
garlic powders followed by the cheddar and fontina cheese, whisking quickly to
mix together until cheese is melted. 10. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. 11. Add the cooked elbow macaroni and blend thoroughly. 12. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the parmesan and pumpkin seeds. 13. Place on a baking sheet and place in the middle center of the preheated oven. 14. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 15. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes to set up a bit and serve. |
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